SCDSS Announces Launch of Child Care Scholarship Program Wait List

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SCDSS Office of Communications & External Affairs
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SCDSS Announces Launch of Child Care Scholarship Program Wait List

September 24, 2026 – The South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) Division of Early Care and Education (DECE) will launch an online wait list for families seeking child care scholarships beginning on October 1, 2026.

Since the announcement of limiting scholarship applications to the traditional South Carolina Child Care Scholarship Program (SCCSP) to only federally protected categories due to limited state and federal funding as of December 1, 2025. SCDSS understands the major impact the funding limitation has had on children, families, and child care programs.

SCDSS was constrained to make the decision to limit child care scholarship applications to right size program expenditures after federal COVID-19 pandemic-era funding was exhausted. Though the need for child care cost assistance is pervasive, the program must operate within its allocated annual revenue stream.

The launch of the Child Care Scholarship Wait List and an update to the eligibility criteria of the Working Families Child Care Scholarship (Working Families) will allow parents and caregivers who are not eligible for a SCCSP scholarship, as they do not meet the requirements of being in a federally protected category, to add their name to the new wait list for child care assistance. SCDSS will use eligible existing resources available for these Working Families scholarships, however, the agency has not received any additional new money, from state or federal sources, to provide for child care scholarships.

“To support as many South Carolina families as possible, especially those with young children during their most critical years, we are taking deliberate steps to maximize the reach of available funding and re-open opportunities for working families,” said Tony Catone, DSS State Director. “The launch of the wait list is an important milestone, and we remain committed to expanding access responsibly while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars.”

Once on the wait list, families in non-federally protected categories may become eligible to receive a scholarship as funding becomes available. The agency will begin the wait list while re-opening the Working Families Child Care Scholarship under these specific eligibility parameters:

• Eligible children must be between the ages of 0-5 years old and not enrolled in kindergarten.
• Funding will be limited to two children per household ages 0-5. No additional children will be added.
• Income guidelines are being reduced to 55% State Median Income (SMI) for initial eligibility. Families must be at or below the 55% SMI at the time of the application and may continue to receive child care until the child ages out or the family exceeds the exit income of 85% SMI, as long as all other criteria are met. 
• The new income guidelines, which will go into effect on October 1, 2026, apply to both the Working Families Child Care scholarship and the protected categories.
• Applicants must be working, in school, in training or temporarily or permanently disabled. Verification will be required.
• Families will have a co-pay determined by the family size and family gross monthly income.  Families with income at or below 150% FPL will not have to pay a co-pay.
• Eligible children will receive 12 months of child care eligibility once approved.

When funding becomes available and a family is selected from the wait list, the family will receive a unique online link to apply for the Working Families Child Care Scholarship. At the time of application, the parent must have already selected and secured a child care provider. Parents will have 15 calendar days to apply using the unique link, submit all required documentation, and confirm enrollment with their chosen child care provider. The 15-day deadline will be strictly enforced in order to maximize the reach of any available funding.

Child care scholarship information, including the number of children served and amounts spent per month on the scholarship program can easily be viewed on the agency’s Child Care Scholarship Dashboard found here.

For more information and updates about the Working Families Child Care Scholarship Program, please visit scchildcare.org.

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